Welcome to you, in Jesus Christ our Lord.Invocation - Inviting the Lord to be with us here.

O Lord, we know that You are everywhere, And nothing happens that You cannot see, But even so, we pray that You will come And join with us directly at this time. We now will offer up our praise to You, And we do much desire to have You here. In Jesus' holy name we pray, Amen.

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.

Prayer4You - "A Blessing For Your Home "MP3 Audio file at http://www.internetchurchofchrist.org/ablessingforyourhome.mp3NOTE: When you read this prayer, try to imagine hearing my voice as I speakit to you. In this way, the prayer is reactivated, and it is the sameas if I were actually praying for you at that moment.(Just like television prayers are reactivated when you watchthem, although the videotape may have been shot years before.)

May God now bless the place that is your home: The place where you take refuge from the storm; The place you are entitled to possess. I pray He sends His Holy Spirit there. I pray the Spirit stays to dwell with you And drives all evil spirits far away. I pray the Spirit keeps you from all harm And brings abundant blessings to your door. I pray that all who live within your walls May richly feel the power of His love. In Jesus' holy name I pray, Amen.

In all religions, people have compiled lists of rules to be followed. Some of these lists are quite extensive (see Leviticus and Deuteronomy 12-30 ,) and some of them are quite compact (see "God's Rules To Live By.") But all of God's true required rules for us today can be reduced to one Golden Rule, expressed as, "Treat Others As You Would Like To Be Treated." All of the other true rules of Ethics can be derived from the Golden Rule, and all of the true rules about loving God are satisfied once we realize that God accepts our love for others as if it were love for Himself. So everything boils down to loving others as we love ourselves, and this love is put into action by following the Golden Rule!

Therefore we can see that the legalistic approach to doing the Will of God by following dozens or hundreds of detailed rules is badly flawed. It misses the point, which is, that everything God really requires of us is accomplished if we follow the Golden Rule, "Treat Others As You Would Like To Be Treated."

"TREAT OTHERS AS YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE TREATED."

The Golden Rule is expressed twice in the Bible, and these are its most authoritative forms, in the words of Jesus, translated.

"So whatever you wish that men would do to you, do so to them; for this is the law and the prophets." (Matthew 7:12 RSV)

"And as you wish that men would do to you, do so to them." (Luke 6:31 RSV)

And here are some of the other expressions of The Golden Rule in modern English.

1. "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." 2. "Treat other people the way you would like them to treat you." 3. "Treat others as you want to be treated." 4. "Treat other people the way you would like to be treated." 5. "Treat other people the way you want to be treated." 6. "Whatever you want people to do to you, do that to them."

The Golden Rule is not just one of many rules which God requires mankind to follow, but it is the entire law, all by itself. This is what Jesus means when He says, "this is the law and the prophets."

_____________________________________________________________

"So whatever you wish that men would do to you, do so to them; for this is the law and the prophets." (Matthew 7:12 RSV) _____________________________________________________________

Note that He says, "for this IS the law and the prophets," not "for this is required by the law and the prophets."

The easiest way to follow The Golden Rule is to love all other people the same as you love yourself. When you love others as you love yourself, you will naturally do to them the same as you would like them to do to you. Thus you will be following The Golden Rule, which embodies all of God's law for mankind.The Golden Rule implements The Law Of Love, which is "LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.

"Love For Others Fulfills The Law"

Galatians 5:14 (RSV) For the whole law is fulfilled in one word, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Romans 13:8 (RSV) Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.

Romans 13:9 (RSV) The commandments, "You shall not commit adultery, You shall not kill, You shall not steal, You shall not covet," and any other commandment, are summed up in this sentence, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Romans 13:10 (RSV) Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. James 2:8 (RSV) If you really fulfil the royal law, according to the scripture, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself," you do well. Proverbs 10:12 (RSV) Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses. 1 Peter 4:8 (RSV) Above all hold unfailing your love for one another, since love covers a multitude of sins.

And who is your neighbor? Everyone is your neighbor. This is shown in the Parable Of The Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37, shown in the appendix below).But what about love for God? Doesn't that come first? Yes, but God counts our love for others as if it were love for Himself. So when we love others, we are loving Him at the same time. This is shown in the Parable Of The Sheep And The Goats (Matthew 25:31-46, in the Appendix below). And we cannot claim to love God until we first love our fellow man.

_____________________________________________________________ If any one says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen. (1 John 4:20 RSV) _____________________________________________________________

But what about The Ten Commandments? Aren't we supposed to obey them? Yes, but The Ten Commandments are only an approximation of what God wants from us. The Pharisees obeyed all of the Ten Commandments, yet God was very displeased with them because they did not have love. The exact thing God wants from us is that we should love our neighbor as we love ourselves. Everything else depends on this. If we love our neighbor as we love ourself, we will naturally and automatically be following The Golden Rule.

But what about holiness? Aren't we supposed to avoid improper sex, etc. and be pure and chaste? Aren't we supposed to deny our physical selves in order to strengthen our spiritual selves? Yes, perhaps. But our feeble attempts at being holy do not even come close to God's high standards. To Him, they are like filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6). But if we have love for others, God will overlook a multitude of our sins (1 Peter 4:8). And if we forgive others of their offenses against us, He will forgive us of our offenses against Him (Matthew 5:14-15). Love makes everything holy, since God is love (1 John 4:8, 4:16).

So all of God's requirements for mankind boil down to this one command: "YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF." If you truly do this one thing only, it is enough. And when you love others as you love yourself, you will naturally be following The Golden Rule, which embodies all of God's law for mankind.

But what about Jesus? Where does Jesus Christ fit into this picture? If love for neighbor is sufficient, then why do we need to accept Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Saviour?

Jesus Christ doesn't "fit into the picture." Jesus Christ IS the picture, the perfect embodiment of Love.

By our own flawed human nature, it is almost impossible to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. Maybe some few people can do it, but most people cannot even come close. But when we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord, His Holy Spirit enters us and dwells within us, transforming our flawed nature into a more perfect nature, more like His own. Only then are we able to love our neighbor as we love ourselves.

RECEIVE INTERNET DAILY CHAPEL EACH DAY by joining one of the groups below . . .The Internet Church Of Christ group at Google.com is at =>http://groups.google.com/group/internetchurchofchristInternet Daily Chapel is posted to this group each day (Lord willing) and emailed to group members who request it.

The Christian Daily Worship Service And Practical GuideFrom Internet Church Of Christ - Bible Readings Updated Automatically EachDayFeaturing: "The Duel That Never Happened: George Washington vs. WilliamPayne"

O Lord, we know that You are everywhere, And nothing happens that You cannot see, But even so, we pray that You will come And join with us directly at this time. We now will offer up our praise to You, And we do much desire to have You here. In Jesus' holy name we pray, Amen.

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.

Prayer4You - "A Blessing For Your Home "MP3 Audio file athttp://www.internetchurchofchrist.org/ablessingforyourhome.mp3NOTE: When you read this prayer, try to imagine hearing my voice as I speakit to you. In this way, the prayer is reactivated, and it is the sameas if I were actually praying for you at that moment.(Just like television prayers are reactivated when you watchthem, although the videotape may have been shot years before.)

May God now bless the place that is your home: The place where you take refuge from the storm; The place you are entitled to possess. I pray He sends His Holy Spirit there. I pray the Spirit stays to dwell with you And drives all evil spirits far away. I pray the Spirit keeps you from all harm And brings abundant blessings to your door. I pray that all who live within your walls May richly feel the power of His love. In Jesus' holy name I pray, Amen.

Today's Featured Segment . . .The Duel That Never Happened: George Washington vs. William PayneAn Excellent Example Of Christian "Anger Management - (When GeorgeWashington was a young man in his twenties.)

"The following account, often published, appeared in the Alexandria GazetteAugust 25, 1874:"

"When Washington, in command of the Virginia Rangers was waiting atAlexandria the arrival of Braddock's forces, an exciting election contestoccurred between Mr. Fairfax and Mr. Payne for the House of Hurgesses.Washington supported Fairfax with much zeal: and, high words passing betweenhim and Payne in the market square, Payne struck Washington a blow whichbrought him to the earth. The troops rushed from the barracks, and wouldhave made short work of Payne, had not Washington pacified them, assuringthem that he knew the proper course to take in the premises. Duels were notthen under the ban of public opinion. All supposed that a fight wasimminent. Next morning, however, Washington sent for Payne, and when thelatter entered the room he saw on the table, not pistols, but a decanter ofwine and two glasses. 'Mr. Payne,' said Washington, 'to err is human. I waswrong yesterday, but if you have had sufficient satisfaction, let us befriends'. Weems relates that from that day Washington was Payne's idea oftrue manhood."

"At the time Gen. Washington was stationed in Alexandria as a colonel of aBritish regiment, before the war of the revolution, an altercation tookplace in the court-house yard, between him and William Payne, in which Payneknocked Washington down. Great excitement prevailed, as Payne was known tobe firm, and stood high, and Washington was beloved by all. A night'sreflection, however, satisfied Washington that he was the aggressor and inthe wrong, and in the morning he, like a true and magnanimous hero, soughtan interview with Payne, which resulted in an apology from Washington, and awarm and lasting friendship between the two, founded on mutual esteem. "

COMMENT: William Payne threw the first punch, thereby escalating a mereverbal argument into a dangerous physical attack. Thus Payne was in thewrong, and guilty of assault on Washington. But Washington -- following theteachings of Jesus -- did not seek retaliation of any kind, but insteadsought to establish friendship, which he did. And when Washington died morethan forty years later, Payne was an honorary pallbearer at the funeral.This is an excellent example of Christian "anger management."

RECEIVE INTERNET DAILY CHAPEL EACH DAY by joining one of the groups below .. .The Internet Church Of Christ group at Google.com is at =>http://groups.google.com/group/internetchurchofchristInternet Daily Chapel is posted to this group each day (Lord willing) andemailed to group members who request it.

I looked deeper and found out the real location of the meeting was the Collingwood Library and Museum of Americanism, a private, not-for-profit corporation located a few miles from Mount Vernon Estate, on property onceowned by George Washington, but not presently associated with Mount Vernon Estate at all.

Several related video links are shown, and if you click on some of them you find a George-Washington-costumed character, which to me shows they deliberately intended to misrepresent their actual location as Mount Vernon itself, and thereby add legitimacy to their harmful right-wing agenda.

Welcome to you, in Jesus Christ our Lord.Invocation - Inviting the Lord to be with us here.

O Lord, we know that You are everywhere, And nothing happens that You cannot see, But even so, we pray that You will come And join with us directly at this time. We now will offer up our praise to You, And we do much desire to have You here. In Jesus' holy name we pray, Amen.

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.

NOTE: When you read this prayer, try to imagine hearing my voice as I speakit to you. In this way, the prayer is reactivated, and it is the sameas if I were actually praying for you at that moment.(Just like television prayers are reactivated when you watchthem, although the videotape may have been shot years before.)

To those who have a loved one in distress: If you have done the most that you can do, I pray the Lord will give you peace of mind, To realize that all is in His hands, And that He is the Lord, and He will rule.

But what about love for God? Doesn't that come first? Yes, but God counts our love for others as if it were love for Himself. So when we love others, we are loving Him at the same time. This is shown in the Parable Of The Sheep And The Goats (Matthew 25:31-46, in the Appendix below). And we cannot claim to love God until we first love our fellow man.

_____________________________________________________________ If any one says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen. (1 John 4:20 RSV) _____________________________________________________________

But what about The Ten Commandments? Aren't we supposed to obey them? Yes, but The Ten Commandments are only an approximation of what God wants from us. The Pharisees obeyed all of the Ten Commandments, yet God was very displeased with them because they did not have love. The exact thing God wants from us is that we should love our neighbor as we love ourselves. Everything else depends on this. If we love our neighbor as we love ourself, we will naturally and automatically be following the Golden Rule, which embodies all of God's law for mankind.

But what about holiness? Aren't we supposed to avoid improper sex, etc. and be pure and chaste? Aren't we supposed to deny our physical selves in order to strengthen our spiritual selves? Yes, perhaps. But our feeble attempts at being holy do not even come close to God's high standards. To Him, they are like filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6). But if we have love for others, God will overlook a multitude of our sins (1 Peter 4:8). And if we forgive others of their offenses against us, He will forgive us of our offenses against Him (Matthew 5:14-15). Love makes everything holy, since God is love (1 John 4:8, 4:16).

So all of God's requirements for mankind boil down to this one command: "YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF." If you truly do this one thing only, it is enough. And when you love others as you love yourself, you will naturally be following The Golden Rule, which embodies all of God's law for mankind.

MATTHEW 25:31-46 (RSV) The Sheep And The Goats _____________________________________________________________ 31 "When the Son of man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, 33 and he will place the sheep at his right hand, but the goats at the left. 34 Then the King will say to those at his right hand, 'Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; 35 for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.' 37 Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see thee hungry and feed thee, or thirsty and give thee drink? 38 And when did we see thee a stranger and welcome thee, or naked and clothe thee? 39 And when did we see thee sick or in prison and visit thee?' 40 And the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.' 41 Then he will say to those at his left hand, 'Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; 42 for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.' 44 Then they also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see thee hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to thee?' 45 Then he will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it not to one of the least of these, you did it not to me.' 46 And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life." _____________________________________________________________

RECEIVE INTERNET DAILY CHAPEL EACH DAY by joining one of the groups below . . .The Internet Church Of Christ group at Google.com is at =>http://groups.google.com/group/internetchurchofchristInternet Daily Chapel is posted to this group each day (Lord willing) and emailed to group members who request it.